Afrikaans rapper Matt Levai, has taken South African drill to new heights with his upcoming feature with Sneakbo, a well-known UK rap artist.
Levai, who was born in Athlone and raised in Laingville on the West Coast, has been dubbed the “Godfather of Afrikaans drill”, being at the forefront of pioneering the drill sound in its Afrikaans form and placing South African drill on the global map.
According to his manager, Thembie Samupindi, Levai took the UK drill sound and made it his own by infusing it with Afrikaans lyrics.
“He inspired other Capetonian rappers to jump on the sound, creating a new wave in the Afrikaans hip-hop market, which has grown exponentially, especially in the Western Cape. This gained him co-signs from Afrikaans rap legends like Cream Machine on the track Awe that is raking up numbers of views on YouTube. His hard work has earned him respect from the UK drill scene, landing him a feature with Sneakbo,” Ms Samupindi said.
Sneakbo co-signed Levai on his upcoming single, Handling Biz, set to be released on all digital streaming platforms in March.
Said Levai: “I’m taking this as a win not for myself but for every coloured kid working on their dreams. Nobody believes we can do it, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to do it. It’s about branding, persistence and we get there by vibrating at standard.”
